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Unprecedented evolution of the health system in our country is beginning with the institution of the new health care bill. Over one thousand pages of legal-ease have made it virtually impossible for anyone to understand the changes and far less a chance to predict the outcomes. Most hospitals and healthcare organizations have appointed entire legal teams to attempt to assess the effects of this new legislation on their organizations. There are also many potential effects on the nursing profession that in some cases may be an advantage. Some could also be problematic. To attempt to predict the effects of the bill on nursing, let us attempt to explore the bill in simple terms.

There are three main problems with the current health system that this bill will attempt to address. These include rising costs secondary to insurance premiums and aging population, holes in coverage for most people with preexisting conditions, lifetime limits on benefits and rising costs to employers who are reducing coverage and individuals without access to healthcare at all. The bill will be phased in over time beginning now. The following will be the highlights of each phase.